Youth Leader Training – Madarin

The Youth Leadership Diploma (YLD) program provides an exceptional experience for youth of a range of ages, backgrounds and talents. This program builds on and formalizes the many years of internship opportunities for teens that have been a vital part of Kids in the Spotlight and Teens Alive.

The YLD program offers youth the possibility of meaningful volunteer hours to satisfy high school graduation requirements; opportunities for a positive working experience; support for moving into paid employment (including references); and a way to demonstrate extracurricular or volunteer experience that is valuable in applying for university or other post-secondary education.

Teens with YLD program experience may take their skills onwards into adult leadership. Youth can move through the intern training via Kids in the Spotlight OR Teens Alive alone, or a combination of both.

1. Youth Intern Level

At the Youth Intern Level the teen will:

Be at least age 13 for the Kids in the Spotlight (KITS) internship and at least 15 for internship in Teens Alive (TA).

If interning in TA, have completed both TA I and II as a participant.

The application process involves an application form (signed by both youth and guardian), an interview with Denise Goldbeck, leader of KITS or David Raithby or Linda Nicholls, leaders of Teens Alive, and payment of an application fee to cover processing and administration costs.

Deadline for submitting the application is December 31st of the year prior to the program. Notification of approval will be sent via the Haven registrars by March 1st.

Note: all interns attend a Youth Intern Training Workshop each year they are in the internship program. There is a fee for this workshop.

Students at this level intern in at least one KITS program (five days) or one TA I and one TA II program (six days), in which they work on communication skills, self responsibility, boundaries, support of others, and initiative.

Youth Interns:

Pay the full tuition fee, as if they were participants in KITS or TA.

Pay the full fee for accommodation and meals (and if under 15 must stay with their parents/guardians).

Can attend a maximum of 2 KITS programs per year (for 1st and 2nd year youth interns)

Must complete a minimum of 2 programs at this level before applying to move up to the Volunteer level.

For more information about Youth Intern Training, please contact The Haven Registrars at 1-877-247-9238 ext.234 or registrar@haven.ca.

2. Volunteer level

Teens must have the skills of the Youth Intern level to become a Volunteer. Teens learn communication skills, and practice group leading, self reflection, and selfresponsibility. Initiative and a deeper understanding of social interaction are encouraged. New tasks are performed that open up new possibilities in their lives. Teens learn responsible attitudes and behaviours that support good employment habits, and conflict management. Overall, teens gain a profound understanding of personal process in terms of the challenges of human development and identity.

At this level the Volunteer youth intern is eligible to attend one session in the season with no tuition charge. Accommodation and meal charges do apply.

If the youth intern attends more than one session at this level they will pay the usual tuition, accommodation and meal charges for the extra sessions.

Youth interns can attend a maximum of 3 KITS programs per season (one with no tuition charge).

If 15 years or older they can live in the intern accommodation.

A Volunteer Certificate may be issued after a minimum of completion of two Youth Intern Training Workshops plus two internships (i.e. two five-day programs of KITS or two six-day programs of TA I and II). Issuance of the Volunteer Certificate includes a reference letter, description of the program, a record of the volunteer hours performed, and completion of forms (provided by the student) to satisfy requirements of their school for volunteer hours.

3. Apprentice Level

To become an Apprentice the student must have good understanding of their personal process, have the skills of the Volunteer level, and have the approval of the instructor (Denise Goldbeck for KITS, David Raithby/ Linda Nicholls for TA).

An Apprentice takes on the tasks of teaching and training the Volunteers and Youth Interns and works on skills such as group leading, communication, conflict resolution, relationships, empathy, embodiment, and self-compassion, while exploring and developing his or her own identity.

Apprentices …

Do not pay tuition for KITS or TA.

Do not pay room and board and live in intern accommodation.

Can attend a maximum of 3 programs per season, depending on available funding.

4. Graduation

The key competencies and values taught in the Youth Leadership Diploma program are passion, compassion, communication, self-awareness, self-responsibility, empathy, and embodiment of the self.

In addition to the specific requirements of the Apprentice level, to complete the Diploma the student must have:

A minimum of four Youth Intern Training Workshops.

Internship in at least four programs (one program is five days of KITS, six days of TA I and II).

The key competencies described above plus the following, demonstrated over time:(i) a good understanding of their own process and ability to describe other processes; (ii) ability to lead groups; iii) responsibility in his/her actions, (iv) communication with others, and (v) consideration of others.

5. Assistantship

Assistants are those youth who have graduated from the Youth Leadership Diploma program. They may assist at TA or KITS, in which case they: